Loh Kean Yew’s historic Asian Games run is not over yet.
The Singapore shuttler defeated South Korea’s Yoo Tae-bin 21-19, 19-21, 21-12 in the men’s singles semi-final on Monday, 28 September, becoming the first Singaporean badminton player to reach an Asian Games final.
The 29-year-old is now guaranteed at least a silver medal, improving on the historic individual medal he had already secured a day earlier by reaching the semi-finals.
He will play Thailand’s world No. 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn for the gold medal on Tuesday, 29 September.
Loh Kean Yew Wins Three-Game Semi-Final
Loh had to work for his place in the final at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Japan.
He edged the opening game against Yoo 21-19 before the South Korean fought back to take the second 21-19.
But Loh pulled clear in the deciding game, winning it 21-12 to complete another milestone in what has already become Singapore badminton’s most successful individual Asian Games campaign.
Yoo, ranked world No. 46, had enjoyed his own impressive run at the Games. Before meeting Loh, he had beaten several higher-ranked opponents, including China’s world No. 6 Shi Yuqi and Japan’s world No. 7 Kodai Naraoka.
Loh, meanwhile, entered the semi-final after producing arguably his biggest result of the tournament on Sunday.
He defeated Indonesia’s then-world No. 1 Jonatan Christie 21-14, 21-19 in the quarter-finals, which had already made Loh the first Singaporean to win an individual badminton medal at the Asian Games. It was also Loh’s first victory over Christie in 11 meetings.
Earlier in the tournament, Loh had also beaten India’s Lakshya Sen and Malaysia’s Justin Hoh.
Singapore Now Guaranteed At Least Silver
Before this edition of the Asian Games, Singapore had won just one badminton medal in the competition’s history.
That came from the women’s team, which took bronze in 2006.
Loh has now gone several steps further. His quarter-final victory secured Singapore’s first individual badminton medal at the Games, while Monday’s win means the country will take home at least silver.
It is also a dramatic improvement from Loh’s previous Asian Games appearance. At his debut three years ago, he left without a victory from his men’s singles and team matches.
The former world champion will now have a chance to add an Asian Games title to his career achievements.
Loh Will Face World No. 2 Kunlavut Vitidsarn for Gold
Standing between Loh and gold is Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn.
Kunlavut booked his place in the final by defeating Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan 21-13, 21-15 in the other semi-final.
The final will take place on Tuesday, 29 September.
Whatever happens there, Loh has already rewritten Singapore’s Asian Games badminton record book twice in two days.
